Norman Succession in
Sicily

The crown of King Roger I, the first crowned king of Sicily, passed
peaceably to his son William I (1151) and grandson William II (1166).
However, the death of William II in 1189 without a surviving son or
brother set the stage for conflict.

Henry
VI, King of Germany and later Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, claimed
the throne in the name of his wife, Constance, who was a daughter of
King Roger I and sister of William I. Tancred, an illegitimate son of
King Roger I's son Roger, was a rival claimant. Because Henry VI was
occupied with other problems in northern Europe and did not press his
claim aggressively, Tancred prevailed. However, upon Tancred's death
and the accession of his son William III, Henry VI seized the throne
of Sicily by force of arms, bringing the Kingdom of Sicily within the
powerful ambit of the Holy Roman Empire.

Upon
Henry VI's death in 1197 the throne of Sicily passed to his remarkable
son Frederick II, who was to become
widely regarded as one of the most brilliant rulers in the history
of European monarchy.